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Later, I told Mark. He smiled.
“See? They see you now.”
He reached across the table, held my hand, and said, “I do.”
A year later, he proposed on our couch during pizza night. No fanfare. Just love.
We married in the backyard. The kids carried flowers. They read poems. It was imperfect, and it was everything.
The biggest twist? Carly and I became… not besties, but real friends. We co-hosted Mia’s 12th birthday together. She pulled me aside and said:
“I used to think you were trying to take something from me. But now I see—you were just trying to help.”
That’s all I ever wanted: honesty, space at the table, and a chance to love without vanishing.
So if you’re reading this feeling unseen, remember—your presence matters, even when it isn’t acknowledged.
And also remember:
You’re allowed to ask for respect.
You’re allowed to say, “I need to be seen.”
And the ones worth your love—they’ll rise.
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